I first got interested in this book after hearing this author interview on NPR. I'm so glad I decided to read this novel; it's really kept me pondering and thinking long after I've put the book down for the day.
I find it difficult to articulate the premise of the book. It follows the life (lives, actually) of one woman, Ursula, from the day she is born in 1910 to her many deaths. Over the course of the novel, Ursula dies at many different ages in many different places and many different ways. And then the story starts again, and she some how avoids the previous deaths only to find another one. It's never made clear what exactly is happening as previous events replay in different ways (or never occur at all.) At points, Ursula has a sense of impending doom or an uneasy feeling. Sometimes she actively avoids her own demise. At other times, mere chance intervenes. She lives through (or dies before or during) both of the World Wars. By the end of the book, she seems to have found a way to embrace her alternate memories and at each retelling, it seems to me that she is becoming a stronger person. She often makes mistakes or bad decisions, but that only serves to make it easier to relate to her.
I highly recommend this book. It was a bit confusing at times, as other characters' fates also changed in each alternate history, but it was well worth the struggle. This is one that will stick with me for a long time. It presented me with a lot of questions about fate and coincidence, about nature versus nurture, about free will and self-assurance, and, of course, about death. There were times when I was disgusted by Ursula and times when I rooted for her. I found myself predicting her demise and being surprised when it didn't come and then being surprised when it came exactly as expected. The book kept me engaged throughout its entirety. I don't often reread books, but I think this is one I will come back to.
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